NORTHAMPTON - Under the theory that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, Cooley Dickinson Hospital is sending a youth squad door to door in Northampton to survey people about their health.

The survey will continue through Tuesday. It follows a trial program that took place in Easthampton. The hope is that the data gathered will help health officials focus their resources on problems before they get to the hospital stage.

As Bankert explained it, the survey will provide information about what and how people eat, alcohol use, exercise habits and general safety. The project is in line with state and federal efforts to refocus on the roots of health issues rather than address them when they get to the crisis stage. Locally, Cooley Dickinson wants to know what factors affect the health of the community.

“It really makes sense to focus on local data,” Bankert said.

The young people administering the survey come from a variety of areas, including Generation Q, which is part of Community Action Youth Programs, and a youth group from Florence Heights. They are paid for their work, Bankert said, and are generally well received at the front door by local residents.

Bankert is aiming to complete 500 surveys in Northampton. She also plans to return to Easthampton to gather more information there. The surveys will be online at www.northamptonma.gov/healthdept on Tuesday. Bankert hopes to also make them available in Spanish.